Spring clip for holding leather



June 26, 1928. 1,675,286

w. L. VAN VALKENBURG SPRING cLIP. FOR HOLDING LEATHER Fil 1a. 1927 INVEN TOR,

" Wallace 11. Van ll/l'ezzbwy;

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 26, 1928.

WALLACE L. VAN VALKENBURG,

OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO L. D.

VAN VALKENBURG COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE,'MASSACHUSETTS,- A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING CLIP non HOLDING LEATHER.

Application filed August 19, 1927. Serial No. 214,155.

This invention relates to improvements in spring clips.

An object of the invention is to provide a clip for temporarily securingtogether a large number of articles, as leather, cloth and articles ofother like material. The present construction of spring clip has beenfound to be very useful in firmly securing or holding together pieces ofleather for articles that are in the course of manufacture, as forexample in the boot and shoe industry.

One of the purposes of the spring clip is to provide a device which willexert a firm pressure substantially along a straight line, or, in otherwords, the frictional resistance is applied on a very small surface ofthe material that is being clamped, with the result that a stack ofleather, paper, or other like material is firmly secured'againstdisplacement when the pile of leather, rubber cloth, or paper isundergoing the cutting, sewing, or other operation. Heretofore, springclips have been devised in which long or extend ed clamping or pinchingsurfaces are employed. This form of clip has been found to beinefficient for the reason that the frictional resistance is distributedover a too large surface. The present spring clip is designed toeffectively remove this objectionable feature.

The present spring clip comprises, in general, two spring arms that arenormally in contact with each other. This normal posi tion of the springarms is brought about by forming the clip from one piece of sheet steelthat is highly tempered, the arms of Which are connected by forming thematerial into substantially an angular shaped loop, the

sides of which have imparted thereto a set which always operates tocause the arms to move towards each other. One of the arms is made verymuch shorter than the other with an upturned curved end of short radius.This short arm normally rests upon the other or longer arm. By means ofthis construction a very efficient spring clip construction is provided.

Further objects and nature of the inven tion will be set forth in thebody of the description with reference to the drawings and specificallypointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the spring nates the apex portion of theloop. The arm 2 is formed at its lower end with an upwardly extendingcurve 7 of short radius, the

lower part 8 of this curved portion normally rests directly upon theupper surface-of the arm 1 as shown in Fig. .1.

As shown in Fig. 2 in use, the layers of material 9 that are beingclamped are inserted between the two arms. The sharply curved part 7rests directly upon the upper surface of the'pile of material. It willbe observed that this curved part of the arm 2 at its point of contact 8forms'depressions in the layers of the material being clamped, asindicated at 10, in other words sure of the arm 2 is transmitteddownwardly through all of the layers to the upper surface of the arm 1,as indicated by the line 11. 'The point of contact is therefore confinedto a single transverse line by means of the small point of contact 8, ofthe curved portion 7 of the arm 2. The material is, therefore, held Veryfirmly against lateral or sliding movement between the arms. It is ofcourse obvious that the greater distance that the arms are separated thegreater the pre'ssureexertedon the material.

The upwardly curved end 7 permits the material to be readily insertedbetween the arms.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exactdimensions shown, but it is to be understood that the broad idea ofutilizing in a spring clip. having twoclamp ing arms with one armshorter than the other and formed with an upwardly curved end of smallradius which normally engages the other arm is new as far as I am aware.

The advantages of the present spring clip among others, are that layersof leather orcloth may be firmly held in place by gripping them atoneline of contact, also, they the pres may be readilyinserted and;removed. The curve of such a radiusesto exert downward 10 loop 3 permitsthe arms being separated a pressure along a. single line of contact onlywide distance. on the material which is inserted between What I- claimis: the arms, the inwardly set" connecting loop 5 Aspringclipcomprisingan integral mam of. the arms operating for permitting the her having twoarms of unequal length and arms to be separated. avsubtltmnh Hilly W e15 connected by a loop portion with inwarddistance. 1y set sides, theshorter arm being curved sharply upward at its end and formed on a IWALLACE L. VAN VALKENBURG.

